What has Happened?
by IntenseSpaghetti
Summary: Sans's unique P.O.V. of the Genocide/Bad Time route. Spoiler alert, and will be adding chapters to this.
1. Papyrus

Sans stood rigid as he saw the human disappearing into the fog, to the Waterfall. Papyrus's dust had formed a neat little pile in the snow, and was slowly beginning to get covered. He was too late. He was coming to warn Papyrus, to help him fight. He knew that his brother was far too kind, had far too big a heart to let the human die. To even fight her. It would be easy for the little demon to kill his brother.

To kill his only friend.

The only one who would hug away his night-terrors. The only one who was able to understand why the resets would happen. The only other one who wouldn't be impacted by them. Papyrus seemed tough, sure, but at home, he was nothing more than a kind-hearted old fool. He would never let anything happen to Sans, and neither would he. Papyrus didn't let the resets get to him, not like Sans. The skeleton had always thought of them as "more time to do things I like to do." Sans had seen them as hell.

Sheer hell.

Now his brother was dead, lying in a pile of ashes. In a pile of gray dust. The same dust he had seen on the human's hands. Of course, Sans had thought nothing of it, but seeing his brother like this... he had to something. He had to end this reign of terror. He had to kill this human. He knew she had the power to reset the timeline. That's why it had been happening. He knew she had that power, but he could slow her down enough, maybe make her reset the whole thing, go for a different way to go about things. Go for a different ending to his brother than this.

Something yellow caught his eye. _A flower?_ he thought tentatively. _What's a flower doing in Snowdin...?_

The flower had a simple smile, and two beady eyes. Those eyes had the same, soulless expression he had seen in the human. For a moment, though, they flashed with something as they landed on Papyrus's dust. Recognition? Sadness? Sans couldn't tell.

"After all this time I spent building up his confidence..." the flower muttered. Sans let out a broken whimper. This was the flower Papyrus had been talking about, he just knew it.

The flower looked up, saw Sans, then disappeared beneath the ground.

As much as it pained him, Sans wished the human not to die from here. Not until they made it to himself. He couldn't relive this anymore. Not again. He couldn't stumble upon Papyrus anymore. He couldn't hear his brother's final words. He couldn't... he just couldn't...

Sans replaced the wide smile to his face, and set off for the Barrier.

He would stop this human.

He had to.


	2. Undyne

Sans trudged through Waterfall, wanting nothing more than to retreat to the door to the Ruins, where he'd tell his worst jokes to a kind, motherly voice. He knew that voice belonged to someone, he knew that voice's owner was kind and pure. It always sounded familiar, even if he couldn't quite put his finger on from where he'd first heard it.

He struggled to ignore the sounds of agony and terror from the dying monsters, the monsters dying by that wretched human's hand. He ignored the horrified looks of hiding monsters as he passed them. Ignored the piles of dust. Ignored the bloodied footprints. Ignored the eerie laughter from the human. Ignored the sharp yelps from other monsters. Ignored the feeling of regret that he didn't do something sooner.

Sans couldn't give in to this feeling of remorse, he knew. If he did, he'd end up nothing more than his own sorry pile of dust. He carefully avoided the flower and the human, and made his way to the overwhelming heat of Hotland. His breath caught in his throat as he passed the sentry station Papyrus had helped him build, and made his way to the Lab.

He pounded on the door to the Laboratory, and to his surprise it glided open. It was dark inside, and he could barely see anything. The only source of light was a dim glow from a screen. Alphys was sitting there in front of it, clutching some sort of cat-human doll to her chest. She looked about ready to burst into tears. Sans realized with horror that she was watching the fight between Undyne and the human.

"Alphys," Sans grunted. The frail lizard looked up in fright, catching the eye of Sans.

"H... hello, Sans," her voice wavered, but she stood up anyway.

He wanted to ask if she was okay, if she could handle this, but he choked it back down. He glanced at the screen and saw the human wearing the most ridiculous outfit; some cloudy glasses and ballet slippers. But she was winning, and Undyne looked ready to collapse. He noticed the strong warrior was wearing different armor, and had dozens, if not hundreds of spears floating and aimed at the human, but the small, lithe body dodged them easily. That smile she wore was the same as the flower's. Soulless and evil.

Sans noticed a small, yellow creature behind Undyne, watching the fight with terrified and furtive eyes. The child that would go with Papyrus to set up puzzles and traps for humans. He swallowed back anguish as he placed his gaze back on Alphys. Her eyes had retreated back to the screen, and she was squeezing the doll so hard now that it looked like the head might pop off.

"Alphys, you've got to call Asgore, you've got to warn people," Sans snapped.

"I... I already called Asgore... but..." tears were running down her face now, and wet blotches scattered across her white labcoat. "I promised... I told Undyne that... that I'd watch her fight... she told me... she told me she would win... win by the second blow..." Sans flinched at Undyne's ragged and hoarse voice, accepting defeat. He almost couldn't bear the sound of her dust hitting the ground. Alphys let out a small sound, almost akin to a dog's whine.

Without another word, she gathered up some supplies; a few plastic rectangles with the words _Mew Mew Kissy Cutie_ printed on them, some Instant Noodles, a picture frame with a blurry photo of she and Undyne in it with over-sized swords, and a phone. The doll was still clutched in her shaking hands as she put her supplies into a backpack and left the Laboratory with the quiet of a mouse.

"Alphys, I-" Sans couldn't finish, the doors slid shut.


	3. The Laboratory

Sans heard a thump and a crash from the wall beside him as the screen turned dark. A robotic voice snapped something Sans didn't catch, and the wall burst open like it was wet tissue. Out from it came a large rectangular robot with gloved hands. It turned on its singular wheel to face him, its screen lighting up.

"AH," it said. "I SEE WE HAVE THE HUMAN!"

"I'm not a human, you worthless pile of bolts," Sans growled. "I was here to warn Alphys."

"WELL THEN," the robot said in its monotone voice. "WHEN WILL THE HUMAN ARRIVE?"

"Soon, she just defea-" Sans didn't finish. The sliding doors were forced open, and Sans ducked into the hole in the wall. The robot hid too.

The human was giggling maniacally, mimicking Undyne's last words.

"This world will live on!" she chirped. "This world will live on!" her voice dissolved once again into her sick laughs.

The robot's fan whirred and it rolled out to greet the human. Sans didn't care to know what they were to discuss, he only wanted to get out of there as fast as possible and help Alphys warn people. When he was sure the human was occupied, he slipped out from the wall and to the opposite door, catching glimpses of _Mew Mew Kissy Cutie_ posters and picture frames of Alphys with that robot. In one, it showed Alphys with Sans, Papyrus, and Gaster.

 _That old fool,_ Sans thought to himself. _Papyrus always had to translate for him..._ Sans stifled a sad chuckle and slipped through the doors unnoticed.

He was back in the scalding heat once more, and he followed the clawed footprints of Alphys. Sans could hardly bear the sight of the tear drops in the red dust. He knew Alphys had been Undyne's closest friend, but... this was so saddening. He saw something etched into a rock. A crude marking that was simply an arrow pointing upwards, as well as some words.

THE UNDYING HAS MADE IT TO THE SURFACE. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE.

Sans pulled his face into a grin and picked up the rock. He pocketed it and sighed. "I'll get you to the surface," he vowed. "Undyne never asked for help, she'd strangle anyone who offered, but... I suppose I deserve it now." He couldn't tell if he was talking to the rock or Undyne, but he didn't care. He continued onward. He heard the human behind him, and he dove behind a boulder just in time.

"What does that stupid robot think it can do to me?" She growled. "I could kill him as easily as that stupid fish, or that pathetic little skeleton." Sans's fingers curled furiously around the rock. "Are you giving me a hug?" she mocked. "I believe in you!" she let out a laugh and kept going.

Sans was shaking with rage when she left. This human... no... _whatever it is,_ was going to die. It had to. Sans followed the tiny footprints made in the red sand and trudged after them. He saw a Vulkin stop the human. The tiny volcanic creature grinned, oblivious to the hell that would be unleashed on it. The human merely kicked it to the side, and it fell from the cliff. She snorted and continued, twirling a burnt pan in her hand and whistling a tune as she walked. He saw the flower, it was grinning at him.

"Howdy!" it sneered. "I'm Flowey, but I guess you already know that."

"I make a point not to acquaint myself with insipid, evil twits." Sans snarled.

"I see kitty has claws," Flowey growled.

"I have more than claws, you demon."

"Wow, you're so good at compliments! I rather like that, has a nice ring to it. 'Flowey the Demon,' yes indeed."

"Where is that thing off to?"

"You mean Chara?"

"Whatever the human is called. _Where is it off to?"_

"Oh, just making her way to the castle, where she'll help me absorb the human souls so we can go to the surface."

Sans cursed. He couldn't let her get to the surface.

"Oh, you look familiar..." Flowey cooed sarcastically. "Don't tell me. Papyrus's brother?"

Sans's breath caught in his throat.

"Sorry, did that bother you? Oh, right! Chara killed him. What a shame."

Sans snapped. He grabbed at Flowey's stem and pulled him from the ground.

"You listen here-"

"Flowey!" Chara's voice sounded from ahead. "Let's go! You were supposed to complete this puzzle for me, you idiot!"

"Gotta run," Flowey snickered as he slipped from Sans's grasp and slithered under the ground. Sans cursed and stomped the ground where the infuriatingly cheery flower had disappeared.


	4. Alphys

Sans snarled at the sound of doors creaking open ahead of him. That stupid flower had made it past him, and he could have stopped it. Why had he hesitated? Why hadn't he killed it right at that moment? It would have been easy. It would have been-

"DARLING!"

Sans swiveled around to face the robot from before.

"WE HAVE NOT YET PROPERLY INTRODUCED OURSELVES! I AM METTATON!"

"Mettaton, yeah, and don't call me darling." Sans muttered.

"ALRIGHT THEN, DARLING!" Mettaton continued. "I WILL STOP THAT HUMAN BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU, DON'T WORRY! I HAVE A SECRET WEAPON!"

"A secret weapon. Yeah, alright then. Walk and talk, you useless machine." Sans turned and started walking in the opposite direction.

"METTATON," the robot corrected as it wheeled to catch up with Sans.

 _"Whatever,_ what's your 'secret weapon?'"

"WELL, ALPHYS HAD PROGRAMMED ME TO CHANGE MY FORM WHEN NECESSARY. ONE OF MY BODIES IS REFERRED TO AS SIMPLY _METTATON EX,_ WHICH I RATHER LIKE THE SOUND OF. ANOTHER ONE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IT'S BUILT TO BE STRONGER, DARLING!"

"Why do I care?"

"WE BOTH AIM TO STOP THE HUMAN, DO WE NOT?"

"Yup."

"FIND ME ALPHYS SO SHE CAN FINISH THIS FINAL FORM."

"And what is the final form called?"

"I'VE BEEN PARTIAL TO _METTATON ULTRA,_ BUT ALPHYS SEEMED TO LIKE _METTATON NEO_ BETTER. WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

"How about I just find Alphys and she can name it whatever she wants?"

"DARLING, YOU'RE FULL OF GREAT IDEAS! YOUR SARCASTIC SENSE OF HUMOR WOULD ALSO MAKE FOR A WONDERFUL SITCOM CHARACTER!"

"What?"

"WELL, I'M OFF TO FIND ALPHYS! WE'LL SPLIT UP, ALRIGHT, DARLING?" without another monotone word, Mettaton rolled away, emitting a fuzzy-sounding ominous tune from its speakers. Sans sighed and continued forward.

He kicked a few rocks out of his way and told some passersby to hide and evacuate to a different location. It was uneventful, save for a few magma bubbles popping and burning holes in his coat. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a pile of gray dust. The claw footprints had ended there.

"It... it can't be..."

"S-Sans?"

Alphys appeared from behind a rock, still clutching the doll in her hands. Relief flooded over the skeleton and he stumbled forward and pulled Alphys into a hug.

"Sans, did you th-think those a-ashes w-were m-mine?" she stammered as she pulled away.

"Of course I did!"

"Well, technically you're right, I did lay them down there, but they aren't real monster ashes. I simply crushed the Instant Noodles and laid the remnants here for the human to find." Alphys pushed her glasses up her nose, but they slid back down again.

"That's... that's brilliant."

"Not... erm... I g-guess so..." Alphys flushed and skittered her gaze away. "Sorry, just... Undyne... u-used to... um... s-say th-that to m-me... a-and... er..." tears sprung into Alphys's little eyes. "S-sorry... Sans..."

"Don't apologize. Has anything else died?" Sans regretted the question as soon as he said it. Alphys broke down into tears.

"Undyne c-couldn't p-p-protect us..." Alphys sobbed. "She's gone, n-no one c-can s-save us... we're a-all d-d-doomed!"

"Don't talk like tha-"

"Wh-why not? It's t-true! And n-now Undyne i-is..." she pulled the picture frame from her backpack. "I h-had shown h-her anime... she... she wanted to make swords, so we did... I got one and..."

"Alphys," Sans murmured, taking her shoulders. "Where was the human headed?"

"She... I never got to t-tell her... I never..." Sans closed his eyes.

 _"Where did the human go?"_ Sans said again, this time more forcefully. Alphys lifted a weak claw and pointed up the path.

"Th-that w-way..." An idea popped into Sans's head. He pulled the rock from his pocket.

"Hey, Alphys, get control of yourself, alright?"Sans ordered. Alphys sniffled. "I came across this on my way up here. I was going to take it to the surface, but... I think that's your job. Alright?" Alphys took the little rock. " _Alright?_ "

Alphys stared at the red stone, her sniffles halted.

"You're going to get to the surface. You're going to get Undyne to the surface. You are going to survive."

Alphys said nothing.

"You can go watch those things... dammit, what were they called...?"

"A-animes..." Alphys whispered.

"Right. Listen, I have to go now, but you will survive. Okay?" Alphys nodded and Sans set off.


	5. Mettaton

Sans bit back tears. This couldn't be happening. This can't be happening. First the lady behind the door, then Papyrus, then Undyne... who's next in this child's reign of terror? Something struck Sans like a bus.

Muffet was next. The kind old spider-lady who wanted nothing more, _nothing more_ than to raise and feed her children, and this demon of a human was going to kill her. Sans couldn't let it happen. He simply couldn't.

He didn't care if he was going to get caught by the human or not, he took an elevator directly to the entrance of Muffet's home. He felt sick to his stomach crawling through sticky webs and piles of flies, but he kept going. His left eye and hand began to glow, ready to catch the human when necessary. He stopped dead in his tracks.

A singular purple flower lay where Muffet should have been.

Sans cursed and roared, he had been too late. Muffet was killed. This had to end, he couldn't let this happen anymore. That stupid kid had to _die._ He stormed through the webs, not letting them slow him down. He forced the opposite door open and stumbled into an out-of-place movie set. Confusion pricked his spine. He rolled his eyes as he heard the familiar squeaky wheel of Mettaton.

"COULD IT BE?" the monotone voice said from atop a flight of stairs. "MY ONE TRUE LOVE?"

 _Not this,_ Sans thought as cheesy music began to blast from Mettaton's speakers. He groaned. The wheel bumped down the stairs, sending thumps and cracks echoing through the set.

"OH MY LOVE..." Mettaton sang.

 _"I am not the human!"_ Sans barked. Mettaton's show-tune and voice stopped dead.

"AH, YES!" Mettaton exclaimed. "IT IS THE VAGUE SKELETON. WELCOME BACK." Mettaton turned on his wheel, and his screen showed a heavily-pixelated smiling face. "I FOUND ALPHYS WHILE YOU WERE BUSY YELLING IN MUFFET'S HOUSE. SHE FIXED MY NEWEST FORM, _METTATON NEO,_ AND THEN WENT INTO THE UNDERGROUND LAB FOR AWHILE. SHE HASN'T COME OUT."

"Mettaton, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're kind of _already_ underground."

"I MEANT THE _UNDER-_ UNDERGROUND LAB. IT'S LABELLED AS A BATHROOM."

"That's... weird, to say the least."

"YOU GET USED TO IT, DARLING." Mettaton pressed a button on his chest and a laughing track played. Sans sighed.

"Listen, robot," he muttered. "I need _you_ to use your 'final form or whatever-"

" _METTATON NEO._ "

"Right, _Mettaton NEO,_ and then _kill the human."_

"KILLING THE HUMAN SOUNDS MOST FUN, DOES IT NOT, DARLING?"

"Yes it does. Now go kill it."

"ALRIGHT, ABSTRACT SKELETON!" Mettaton wheeled off, playing a happy song from its speakers.

Sans grunted to himself and continued forward. Ahead was the Core, and after that the Palace. He had to get there before the human.

"Going somewhere?"

"You stupid flower! Stop following me!" Sans whipped around and glared at Flowey. The flower's face was stretched into a smile.

"I'm just coming to warn you," Flowey looked concerned.

"Huh?"

"Chara is in the Core. She's facing Mettaton in a few minutes."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Don't let her past you."

"Gee, thanks for that tip," Sans growled sarcastically. "I was originally gonna let her through 'till you said that."

"Listen, skeleton, she's going to reset it all. I've seen it. She was only sent back because of you just awhile ago."

"What?"

"You killed her, she was sent back to after the fight with Muffet."

"What the hell are you talking about? I experience the resets! I know when they happen! I-"

Flowey's face morphed into something familiar... something...

"Please... don't let the world die..." a tiny voice whimpered.

"Asriel?"

Flowey disappeared into the ground.


	6. Asriel

Sans stared at the spot that Flowey... no, _Asriel_ had disappeared.

"What the hell...?" he whispered. Shaking his head briskly to remove the memory, he turned and hurried to the Core.

The hotel.

He remembered the six humans he had met there. He'd taken four of them to the restaurant there as a reward for not killing anything. The other two had fun with their weapons, and he'd been forced to help Asgore take their souls. He shook his head as he remembered the terrified looks from them. The little one with the red bow had been _very_ difficult to watch go to the chamber where Asgore was. Sans watched all the fights, ready to jump in if anything went wrong. The one with the little red bow in her hair had approached Asgore, tears in her eyes, as she held up the stick in shaky hands. All the humans had the power to reset. He had to watch her die over.

And over.

And over.

Until she finally gave up. She had lost the purpose to go forward. When something, human or monster, is on the brink of death, if they're determined to continue, they'll come back. That's how the resets worked. That's how Sans watched every single human die. Some it only took a few tries. Others, it could take days until they gave in. Sans was proud of the ones who could keep going, sure, but each and every screech of agony as the final blow was delivered. Sans couldn't bear to watch them, but he had to. Undyne was needed at Waterfall in case anything went wrong there, so Sans was employed, unbeknownst to Papyrus, to stand guard for Asgore during the fights with humans. As much pain as it brought him, he was excited for this one to die. After what it did to his brother, to the lady behind the door, to Undyne, to Alphys, to Muffet...

This _thing_ had to pay.

He entered the Core, shoving open doors and forcing his legs to move faster down the long, labyrinth-like hallways.

"Damn it, Gaster!" Sans cursed at his deceased father as he reached another dead-end. "Why'd you make this stupid Core so damn _confusing?!_ " He backtracked and went up the middle pathway next, but was met with yet another dead-end. This madness went on for ages, it seemed, but in reality only lasted a few minutes. The human must be fighting Mettaton now.

 _"Don't let the world die!"_ Asriel's sad voice echoed in Sans's head. Those words had been spoken to him before... but he couldn't remember from where.

" _Aha!"_ Sans stormed down the bridge, wires and tubes tangled below. He forced his way into the room.

Mettaton's sparking and broken body lay on the ground, reverted back to its usual rectangular shape. Its screen was playing the fight between it and the human...

It took one blow.

"You..." Sans hissed. He shoved the robot's body aside and strode to the elevator. It felt like forever, but he made it to the top. He ran for the next one, and to his surprise it worked. Usually Alphys had it down for maintenance.

 _Alphys is gone, you idiot,_ Sans growled to himself. _This is all your fault. They're dead because of YOU._

"Sans?" Asriel's voice appeared behind him. When Sans turned, it was still Flowey's body.

"How did you...? An elevator? Really?"

"She... Chara... she's in the house. I stalled her. You need to hurry!"

Asriel disappeared as the doors opened. Sans ducked into the golden hallways and behind a pillar just as the sound as footsteps echoed through the corridor. She was whistling a tune. Sans stepped out from behind the pillar, swallowing his seething rage enough to put on a mask of calm. If this was going to work, he had to keep in control.

"Heya."


	7. Frisk

"Hello," the human said with a grin.

"Now, since I'm nice, little Chara-"

"My name's not _Chara._ That stupid flower told you, didn't he?" the human snapped. "It's Frisk." Sans bristled.

"Frisk, then," Sans growled. "Since I'm nice, I'll let you choose how you die." He gave a sharp nod, not taking his eyes off Frisk. Bones, some glowing bright blue, arose around him. Misshapen skulls followed suit. "Skulls, bones?"

Frisk grinned sarcastically. "Surely a smart skeleton like yourself must understand that those are too easy? It didn't work when that worthless _brother_ of yours used them on me, now did it? What was his name... Papyrus?"

"That's it," Sans snarled. His left eye glowed bright blue, his hand as well. Frisk was engulfed in the flame. Fear looked etched in the edges of her eyes. "How about this, you _brat,_ " he roared. "I'll just ram you into the windows until you're bleeding so bad you'll be begging me to stop. And then, if that's not enough for you, I'll turn you to _dust_ by crushing you into pillars and walls and floors. Just like those monsters you slaughtered heartlessly." Frisk's eyes widened. "Looks like you're scared."

"M... make... make it a fair... fight..." Frisk choked out.

" _A fair fight?!"_ Sans hooted. "That's so hilarious I almost _want_ to spare you!" Sans released his hold on Frisk. She dropped to the floor, gasping and spluttering for air. "Key word, _almost."_ He grabbed her throat and lifted her from the floor. Frisk waved her legs through the air and grabbed for Sans's hands. "I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life, and then I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully so you can relive the agony I've felt since your worthless existence found its way here!" Sans threw her to the side and she smacked into a pillar. "I warned you."

"Warned... warned me... about... what...?" Frisk gasped.

"You're gonna have a bad time." Sans aimed every bone he had in his arsenal at her. She had to die.

Frisk stared up at him. Remorse glistened in her eyes. "Sans..." that voice was all it took. He remembered. He remembered exploring with Chara and Asriel. He remembered everything...

"Ch... Chara..."

"You're so gullible," she snarled. The bones had clattered to the floor while Sans was distracted.

"Wha-"

Frisk lunged forward, knife bared. Sans dodged just in time; the blade whizzed past his vision. Seeing the opportunity, he reached up and grabbed Frisk's arm; throwing her back. He summoned the skulls, Gaster Skulls, as his father liked to call them when he was teaching Sans how to use them. He forced their jaws open to emit bright white rays towards the human. Frisk let out a yelp as it singed her right arm. Sans grinned and dodged another one of her attacks. He aimed the bones back at her, and they flew towards her. Hit, hit, hit, miss, hit. Frisk swallowed hard. Sans's smile widened.

"Had enough, kiddo?"

Sans threw another array of bones her way. She ducked and held her knife out in front of her. She charged forward, letting out a war cry. Sans stepped to the side and she rammed into a pillar. Dust and pebbles sprinkled from the ceiling.

"You're pathetic," Sans chuckled.

He narrowed his eyes to slits as his left one glowed. He lifted Frisk from her spot, then threw her down into the floor. With his other hand, he made bones grow from the ground. She jumped just in time. He threw her into a wall, and repeated the process. She jumped each time. Sans snarled as she picked herself up off the ground and wrapped her fingers around the heart locket.

"That isn't yours," Sans barked. He recalled giving it to Asriel after finding it in a trash heap. Frisk grinned.

"Your point?" She threw her knife. It whistled right past Sans, narrowly missing his skull.

"That's a shame," Sans muttered. "If that hadn't missed, it would have been really cool." The knife clattered to the ground. Sans let Frisk get it.

She was about to run for Sans again when he held her still in the blue flames. "Ah ah ah," Sans cooed. "Not so fast; don't cheat now." He lowered her.

And just as fast he rammed her into a wall.

And the floor.

And the wall.

And the floor again.

And the corner.

And the ceiling.

"THIS is what you get!" Sans yowled as he rammed her into the wall. The room shook. "THIS is your punishment for killing him!"

When Sans released his hold, Frisk was huddled on the floor, trembling. Blood had spurted from her nose, and scars from being hit by multiple bones. She coughed.

"You... only care about your... brother's death... then?" She managed a sneer as she stood. She held the knife loosely at her side.

"I care about all their deaths."

"What a shame," she giggled. "He was the best to kill. So easy, so _fun._ He hardly put up a fight." Again, she rushed forward with the knife. Again, Sans dodged easily.

"You've gone too far!" Sans roared. He aimed the Gaster Skulls in a circle around her, making them fire in order. She only got hit a few times. Sans grunted.

Frisk lunged forward once again, this time ripping a hole in his jacket with the knife. Frisk grinned, but only until Sans followed suit.

"Got my jacket. You should work on your aim."

"I-"

Sans didn't let her finish. He sent hundreds, if not thousands of bones her way in different patterns. She squeaked as as she dodged, some only missing her by a few inches. One caught her in the chest and she flew backwards, skidding across the floor. She looked dazed as she lifted her head.

"Had enough?" Sans growled through clenched teeth.

"N... not... yet..."

"You're awfully resilient, I've gotta give you credit." Frisk coughed.

"I prefer _determined._ "

"Determined to do what?"

"To kill you."

She got up, shook out her head, and ran straight for Sans. He caught her in the blue flames just a few feet from colliding with him.

"Well then," Sans muttered. He gave a side-grin. "You're a real _spit-fire,_ aren't you?" He chuckled to himself.

"Even puns now? When you're about to die?"

"Oh come on, you can't _extinguish_ my strength."

"I'm going to break every bone in your body-"

"Things are really _heating up,_ don't you think?"

"And I'm going to crush your skull-"

"Really bringing in the _heat_ here!"

"Shut up!"

"It's too bad you didn't wear more _flammable_ clothes."

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Doesn't it?"

"Fine. You want to play puns then? They call me 'H' because I turn asses into ashes."

"Hey, that was pretty good. Not good enough though." Sans brought her closer and wrapped his fingers around her throat. "You're going to die here, human."

"It's pronounced _Frisk,"_ the human said as she kicked Sans away. She landed on both feet and stood up straight.

"The real battle is only beginning, you twit," Sans growled.


	8. Sans

"What do you mean the real battle?" Frisk growled. She had gathered herself and stood now, glaring at Sans through bloodied and messy hair.

"This."

Sans englufed her in the flames and sent hundereds of arrays of bones her way, they all crashed into her. Sans stopped, and so did she. She fell to the floor and lay there limply. Her gaze was blank and full of hatred. She had a tiny smile on her face. Her eyes glazed over and at the same moment, her soul, red with determination, floated from her chest. Sans heard Asgore.

 _"It cannot end here! Chara, stay determined!"_

"Your majesty, what are you talking about?" Sans whirled around to face the king. He stood there solemnly.

"Her name is..." Asgore trailed off and Sans's gaze softened.

"Her name is Frisk, not Chara. Chara's long gone, remember? You've got nothing to worry about."

"I miss her, Sans."

"I know you do."

"I miss Asriel, too," the king's eyes filled with tears.

"I know you do, sir-"

"I miss Tori..." Asgore's voice broke.

"Tori?"

"Toriel, my... wife... ex-wife... she retreated to the Ruins after our kids' deaths..."

"The... Ruins, sir?"

"She has to be alive- even with that monster she... she can't be dead..." Asgore was clutching his trident, and tears dripped into his thick beard.

"Did... she have... what did her voice sound like?" Sans couldn't think of anything else to describe her with.

"She..."

"I think she's gone, Your Majesty." Sans whispered. Asgore let out a whimper.

"G-gone?"

"Yes, sir."

"Enough with the formalities, Sans."

"Sorry, Asgore."

"She used to make butterscotch-cinnamon pie for the kids and me... I miss that pie."

"I'm sorry, Asgore. She was killed by Frisk," Sans recalled the sweet smell of the pie from the door, and Toriel telling him she wished she could give him some.

Asgore stared hard at Sans. His claws wrapped tighter around his trident, and his feet trembled. His large, purple cloak was speckled with dark splotches of tears. He was shaking, his eyes boring into Sans's like he was seeing Death.

"Asgore-"

"Enough talk, Sans, Frisk should be resetting soon. G... gather yourself for her... attacks..." Asgore left the room without another word.

"Asgore wait-"

"You damn skeleton," Frisk snapped. Sans stared at her, hatred in his eyes.

"Back from the dead, I see?"

"Shut up," Frisk snarled, her eyes fleeting to the left.

"Look at me when I'm about to kill you," Sans growled as he engulfed her in the flames. "I'll give you a hint; try not to die again. Fighting you over and over is awfully exhausting."

"You little-"

Frisk didn't finish, Sans slammed her into pillars and walls, throwing bones her way and firing off the Gaster Skulls. He sent out hundreds of blue bones, and she couldn't stop moving.

"Confused, eh?" Sans chuckled. "Remember the blue stop signs, you brat?"

"I'll-" she couldn't finish; she collapsed and her soul floated from her chest once more.

"Don't lose hope! Chara, stay determined!"

"Asgore, what did I tell you about her name?" Sans muttered, turning on one heel.

"I'm sorry, I really am, it's just... she looks so much like her."

"Asgore, I was going to say before-"

"Stop," Asgore raised a clawed hand and lowered his head. "I needn't know." He grinned sadly. "I've lost everything, there's nothing you can say that will possibly make me feel better."

"Everything might be a bit of an over statement, sir-"

"My only son, my only daughter, my wife, my apprentice, my kingdom, my sanity..." Asgore's eyes turned hurtful. "How dare you say I haven't lost everything?"

"Asriel's alive, sir," Sans murmured. The king's gaze flitted up to meet Sans's.

"Asriel's alive?!"

"Yes, sir, that flower... it's him."

"I know that... but he isn't the same."

"Frisk did something to him, he's back."

"Where is he?"

"Should be in the throne room."

Asgore darted off to the throne room, slipping on the newly polished floors. Sans was about to follow him when...

Sans's eyes were yanked in the opposite direction, and he now stood glaring at Frisk.

"You seem to reset at very inconvenient times for me," Sans growled.

"You should stop killing me then."

"Fat chance."

"Much like yourself."

"You brat," Sans growled. Even though he had no actual bodily fat, only bones, he still felt offended. "Prepare to die."

It was easy this time, he simply fired a Gaster Skull at her. Bull's eye, it hit her square in the chest. Her soul was disintegrated in the blast, and Sans hoped that meant she was gone for good.

"Our fate rests upon you! Chara, stay determined!"

"Asgore, that's getting really old."

"Sorry, Sans."

Sans turned around and stepped towards Asgore. He was a good three feet taller than him, but Sans didn't care.

"Did you see Flow- Asriel?"

Asgore nodded sadly.

"How did it go?"

"He... he just looked up at me with his... his little face... and... the voice..." Asgore ran his claws through his hair. "Asriel..."

"What did he say?"

"He said-" Asgore didn't finish, Flowey popped up behind Sans and interrupted them.

"Sans, Dad," Asriel's voice said. It wasn't cheerful, it was strangely melancholy. Asriel's face was morphed in Flowey's body. It was unnatural.

"Asriel!" Asgore stumbled forward and landed on his knees in front of his son. His large, clawed paws gently cupped the small flower as the king smiled. "How I've missed you..."

"I missed you too, Dad..." the golden petals of the flower curled and the stem bent, leaning his head into his father's hands. Sans could swear he saw tears sprouting from Asriel's green eyes, but he couldn't tell.

"When you came back as that flower, I was sure I had lost you forever, I was sure my beautiful son was gone for good..." Asgore's voice trembled.

"I hated being without a soul..." Asriel whimpered as he looked up at his father. "I hated it, D-"

"So sorry if I interrupted anything," Frisk sneered. Sans glared at her as he caught a muffled, anguished howl from the throne room.

"You know what you're interrupting, don't you?" Sans growled. Frisk grinned.

"Oh, just a touch," her eyes flashed, "I didn't know Flowey was Asgore's son."

"You stop right there," Sans snarled as Frisk took a step forward.

"What, you don't want me to move forward?" She took another step.

"I said stop."

She took another step.

Sans let out a roar and let out everything he had at her. _No more,_ Sans though to himself. _No more of this! No more of this genocide!_ Cracks, thuds, and splits echoed through the long hallway. He wasn't even finished, nor could he hear Asgore's voice from behind him telling Chara to stay determined, despite what she'd done.

He felt two large, clawed hands wrap around is shoulders and shake.

"Sans!" The skeleton didn't stop the onslaught.

Tears blurred his vision and his eye was burning so bright he could hardly see.

 _"Sans, stop!"_

Sans didn't stop.

"You _brat_! You killed Papyrus!" Sans yowled. "You killed Toriel! You killed Undyne! You killed Mettaton! You killed Muffet! You killed everyone! I know you can hear me, you bitch! You killed everyone, everyone I cared about!" Sans threw more, threw harder, he couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. "And for what?! To see what it felt like?! I know why you looked so familiar! You let us out before! You opened the barrier before! And now...! And now..." Sans's voice dissolved into sobs and cries and he relented his attacks. He slumped to his knees and Asgore caught him before he could fall further.

The golden hallway was now battered and broken; chandeliers hung loosely from their spots on the ceiling, if they hadn't already fallen. Glass and chipped wall bits lay broken on the ground. The windows were all but shattered, and only one pillar remained standing. Bones and dust was scattered around the room, and blood stained walls and floors in erratic patterns. A Gaster Skull was here and there; it didn't matter. Only seven were intact, laying on the rubble with blank stares. Everything behind Sans was perfectly clean.

Everything in front of him was in shambles.

"You... you reset everything..." Sans whispered. "You... I've killed you, but you won't die... We had a happy ending, everyone was living in harmony, then you... ruined it." Sans clenched his hands into fists as Asgore's hands left his shoulders and stepped back. His spine rolled forward and Sans shut his eyes. "Why did you do it? I know you can hear me... we had everything. Papyrus was happy, Toriel was happy, Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, Muffet... everyone... why did you do it? Why?"

"Sans..." Asgore's deep voice sounded from behind him.

The small skeleton got up, not meeting Asgore's eyes. His smile had faded, and his left eye was burned out. He could feel a crack by the socket where the blue flames used to reside. He stared at the ground through sorrowful eyes.

"I... I just want them back..." Sans breathed. "I... I just want to see my brother again. I want to tell stories to the lady behind the door."

"Sans-"

"I want to fight with Undyne again."

"Sans-"

"I want to watch animes with Alphys and make fun of that stupid robot."

"Sans, I-"

"I want to sell hotdogs to that sweet old Muffet."

"Sans, really-"

"I want... I want to go home, Gaster." Tears dripped down his skull.

A familiar voice spoke up from behind him. If Asgore noticed, he didn't say anything.

 _"You're close, Sans, I promise. Papyrus misses you too."_

Sans didn't acknowledge the voice that he had grown up with, he knew once he did the human would reset again. Sans looked up at Asgore. The old king was staring down at him, sympathy in his eyes.

"We really are a pathetic duo, aren't we?" Asgore chuckled dejectedly. "We've both lost everything."

"Y-yeah..." Sans's voice cracked as the king laid a trembling paw on his shoulder. "Papyrus and Gaster... they got me this jacket," Sans lifted up an arm as a gesture to the worn fabric. "They surprised me with it when I came home from training with Gaster Skulls. Papyrus was so excited..." he trailed off.

"Tori and the kids made me this cloak," Asgore said. He lifted a corner where the words, _Welcome home, Dad!_ were printed in stitching. The old king smiled sadly.

Sans looked up, expecting to see Asgore, but the tall figure was replaced by a clean hallway. He turned around; the hallway there was clear. Sans turned back and faced Frisk, not meeting her eyes.

"Kill me," Sans muttered. "You've taken everything from me. I don't have anything to fight for anymore."

Frisk said nothing.

He dared to look up.

Tears made tracks in the dirt, blood, and dust on her face. She was staring straight at Sans.

"Sans... I..." Frisk murmured.

"If you were going to have a soul, it would have been handy before you killed everyone I care about."

"Sans..."

The skeleton lifted his hands in defeat. "I'm done, Frisk, I'm done. There's nothing more for me to fight for. Even if I kill you, you'll come back. If you kill me, I won't have to live with this pain anymore. So I'm surrendering. Hit me with your best shot, it'll only take one."

"I..."

"What are you waiting for?!" Sans snapped, he glared at her. "You can't take anything else away from me! I'm done, I'm as good as dead! So why don't you just kill me already?!"

Frisk stepped forward slowly and slashed the blade of her knife across Sans's chest. Red liquid, almost like blood, bubbled to the surface of the wound. Frisk didn't meet Sans's gaze as the skeleton pulled his face into a meek smile.

He pulled her hand away. "Well, I'll see... see you later then. Don't make the same mistakes, okay, kid?" He limped off, seeing hazy outlines of two tall familiar shapes. "I'm..."

Sans's eye sockets widened. The silhouettes looked almost like...

"Papyrus... Gaster..." Sans's smile only widened. It wasn't forced, wasn't faked. He hadn't felt this happy since he'd received the jacket from his little brother. "I'm off to Grillby's," Sans said over his shoulder. "Papyrus..." Sans's voice wavered and shook as he saw his dead brother for the first time in ages. Papyrus's face was stretched into a grin, and his arms were outstretched and welcoming. Gaster's face and cloak didn't drip, nor were they made of goop. He wore the same brown suit he always wore, with the collar a little loose and the tie a little crooked. Just like he had looked before the accident. His spectacles were awkwardly taped to the sides of his head as he smiled. "Papyrus," he said again, this time stronger. "Do you want anything...?" Sans took another step and collapsed into his brother's arms, and felt the reassuring pat of his father's cold hands.

 _"It's good to have you back, brother," Papyrus whispered._


End file.
